From the Fibromyalgia Section of bellaonline.com

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art53937.asp/zzz

Adrenal Exhaustion and Fibromyalgia

It is a scientific fact that fibromyalgia is a stress-related illness. So it shouldn't surprise us if many experience adrenal exhaustion. Sometimes stress overtakes our bodies and the body just shuts down. Our stress hormone levels have been depleted, and we cannot seem to function. So, what is adrenal exhaustion, and what is the connection between it and fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome?

Adrenal exhaustion, sometimes called adrenal fatigue, occurs when the adrenal glands are not functioning properly. It often develops after prolonged and intense periods of stress, whether physical or emotional.

Mary Shomon's Symptoms List for Adrenal Exhaustion:

* excessive fatigue and exhaustion

* non-refreshing sleep

* overwhelmed by or unable to cope with stressors

* feeling rundown or overwhelmed

* craving salty and sweet foods

* you feel most energetic in the evening

* a feeling of not being restored after a full night's sleep

* sleep disturbances

* low stamina, slow to recover from exercise

* slow to recover from injury, illness or stress

* difficulty concentrating, brain fog

* poor digestion

* low immune function

* food or environmental allergies

* premenstrual syndrome or difficulties that develop during menopause

* consistent low blood pressure

* extreme sensitivity to cold

To treat adrenal exhaustion, many physicians use hydrocortisone which is a synthetic form of cortisol. When cortisol levels are low, many CFS and FMS sufferers notice an improvement in fatigue and other symptoms of adrenal exhaustion. Since this is a risky treatment option, many physicians will not prescribe hydrocortisone unless the patient has a full-blown adrenal disease. But, for those willing to take a risk, starting at the lowest dose possible is a safer way to test your reaction to the medication.

For naturalists or those who would prefer a less risky treatment option, many have taken supplements of licorice, Asian ginseng, Echinacea, 7-keto DHEA, or DHEA. However, dietary supplements shouldn’t be taken lightly either, and a person should be under a doctor’s supervision when doing so.

Whatever option you choose, combating fatigue is a step toward managing fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The article also recommends Dr. Titelbaums book From Fatigued to Fantastic

n04c-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1583332898&adid=17C41M93T1VJMPA7RMM8& rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/dp/1583332898?tag=bellaonli[/b]n04c- 20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1583332898&adid=17C41M93T1VJMPA7RMM8&

SO, IN RESPONSE TO MR.SHAPIRO'S POST, PLEASE, PLEASE, ALL OF YOU GO TO MARY SHOMON'S SITE, STOP THE MADNESS AND READ AND READ AND READ....YOU WILL ALL FIND YOURSELVES IN THERE....THAT WOMAN'S INFORMATION SET ME ON THE RIGHT PATH AND NOW I AM IN MORE CONTROL OF MY HEALTH... BEWARE, THERE ARE VERY FEW DR'S OUT THERE WHO THINK ALONG THESE LINES, BUT THEY ARE OUT THERE AND ONE JUST HAS TO SEARCH ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THEM...GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND MAY HE BRING US ALL HEALTH.

Thanks guys

I know quite a few people who have differing levels of adrenal fatigue, and do not exhibit ALL the symptoms, especially the blood pressure. Remember, FIBRO hits EVERYONE differently, and everyone responds to different ways of treatment. There are those who LOVE Cymbalta; I almost died on it. VERY CLOSE. There are those who get relief from Advil, I have to take Oxycodone ( Lortab, Lorcet, Vicodin ) on a daily basis, just in order to maintain... and when I get a flare up, I now have to use a Fentanyl Patch.I am most definitely NOT a drug seeker,in my former life I was a very well known horse trainer and I love to ride Endurance ( 50 miles a day or more )and love the outdoor, active,natural life.

There are a lot of people who have Fibro who can get by on a lot less.. but that is just ONE reason why we are here, and that is to learn from each other, and to support each other. Lyrica is so close to Cymbalta in make up, that the drug company could not pay me one million dollars to take it. ALL THESE DRUG COMPANIES DO IS KEEP THROWING ANTI-DEPRESSANTS AT US. AND, A LOT OF US DO NEED ANTI DEPRESSANTS, FOR THE PAIN AND THE LOSS OF OUR FORMER LIVES AND WHAT WE USED TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH CAUSES THE DEPRESSION. HOWEVER, THROWING ANTI DEPRESSANTS AT US IS NOT OFFERING US A CURE. AND IT ENRRAGES ME THAT THESE HIGH DOLLAR DRUG COMPANIES TOUT ANTI DEPRESSANTS AS A CURE FOR FIBRO. FIBRO CAUSES DEPRESSION, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

PLEASE, KYCHICK, RESEARCH ALL YOU CAN ABOUT ADRENAL FATIGUE. IF YOUR POOR BODY HAS BEEN FIGHTING THIS MISERABLE ILLNESS FOR AGES, AS MINE HAS, AND YOU HAVE MOOD SWINGS, ARE DEPRESSED, CANNOT SLEEP AT APPROPRIATE TIMES, CANNOT LOSE WEIGHT WHEN YOU NEED TO, HAVE THE SALIVA TEST DONE. MARY SHOMON IS A FIBRO SUFFERER WHO HAS AN ENTIRE WEBSITE WRITTEN ON THIS ILLNESS... SHE UNDERSTANDS. DR. JACOB TEITLEBAUM IS A BRILLIANT MAN, SO IS DR. JOHN C. LOWE, AND DR. RICHARD SHAMES. THESE PEOPLE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, THANK GOD! ALL HAVE BOOKS WRITTEN, AND STUDIES PUBLISHED, WHICH CAN BE FOUND AT LOCAL BOOK STORES, AMAZON.COM, AND THE ARTICLES ARE REALLY EASY TO FIND ON THE WEB. AND, LASTLY, MY NURSE PSYCOLOGIST, GAVE ME AN INCREDIBLE BOOK ABOUT FIBRO AND CMP, WHICH ACTUALLY MENTIONS SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND THEIR THEORIES. BE SURE TO GET THE SECOND EDITION; FOR IT IS MUCH UPDATED FROM THE FIRST. FIBROMYALGIA & CHRONIC MYOFASCIAL PAIN...A SURVIVAL MANUAL. BY DEVIN STARLANYL AND MARY ELLEN COPELAND.

LAST OF ALL, PLEASE, PLEASE, FOR ALL OF YOU WHO ARE READING THIS POST, DO NOT SELF DIAGNOSE AND SUPPOSE THAT YOU HAVE ADRENAL FATIGUE, AND JUST BEGIN TREATING IT. YOU NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH CORTISOL IS IN YOUR TISSUES,AT A 24 HOUR CONTINUAL TESTING...THAT IS WHY IT TAKES 24 HOURS TO DO THE SALIVA TESTING CORRECTLY. THEN YOU MUST FIND A DOCTOR WHO WILL WORK WITH YOU TO GET YOUR CORTISOL LEVERAGED CORRECTLY. THEY CAN BE A CHALLENGE TO FIND, BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO DO A LITTLE SNOOPING AND SOME RESEARCH. I DEFINITELY WOULD CALL EACH DOCTOR AND HAVE A FULL LIST OF QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE GOING TO SEE THEM. THERE ARE ONLY TWO DOCTORS IN MY STATE WHO TREAT IN AN INTEGRATIVE WAY....SO I CALLED BOTH, WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO INTERVIEW THEM AND THEN SELECTED THE ONE MY GUT AND HEART TOLD ME WAS THE BEST.

BEFORE THIS MISERABLE FLARE UP, I HAD 4 MONTHS THAT WERE THE BEST I HAVE HAD IN ALMOST 5 YEARS. I WAS ABLE TO CLEAN MY HOUSE, I COULD BREATHE, I COULD COOK DINNERS AGAIN, I COULD RIDE MY HORSES FOR SHORT PERIODS.I WAS BY NO MEANS CURED, BUT I WAS ABLE TO DO THINGS THAT I THOUGHT HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM ME FOREVER, AND I TENDED TO OVER DO IT. THEN, I CAUGHT A BUG AND WENT INTO FULL FLARE UP FIBRO. IT'S BEEN THIS WAY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. I CONTINUE TO TAKE MY MEDICATIONS,MY SHOTS AND REST AS I AM SUPPOSED TO, BUT I AM HORRIBLY DEPRESSED. AND, UNTIL I CAN HAVE MY LIFE BACK, I WILL BE DEPRESSED. I HAVE TO WATCH MY FAMILY SUFFER AS THEY WATCH ME SUFFER,AND I WATCH MY HORSES IN THE PASTURE WISTFULLY WATCHING FOR ME..WAITING FOR THAT RIDE.. WILL IT EVER COME?

HANG IN THERE, AND GOD BLESS YOU. REMEMBER, IF YOU GO TO THE TRADITIONAL DOCTORS,THEY WILL ONLY ORDER A C0RTISOL TEST SHOWS A SNAPSHOT IN TIME...NOT WHAT YOUR INDIVIDUAL CIRCADIUM RHYTHYMS OF CORTISOL ACTALLY ARE.

TAKE CARE! PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED HOW IT GOES!